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Theodore Weber
Theodore "Tade" Weber (March 26, 1865 - before May 2, 1928) was born March 26, 1865 to Peter Weber and Barbara Simon in Peffingen, Germany. He was recorded as Roman Catholic. He came to America with Peter and Katherine Weber; Katherine's parents, Peter and Margaretha Becker; and Frank Weber. It is very possible he was aboard a ship named "Pennland" which embarked from Antwerp and arrived in America on Dec. 22, 1883. He was employed as a farm hand both in Cascade and Jesup, Iowa for his nephew, Peter Weber Jr.. About 1927, he went missing. About a year after he went missing, on May 2, 1928, a body was found floating in the Mississippi River south of Cattese, Iowa, which was eventually identified to be Theodore. The exact date of death will never be known since the body had been in the river for many months before being found. It is rumored that he fell in love with a woman from the area and after they broke up, he became distraught and began drinking and gambling. Any cash he had, he kept on his person and it is thought that he may have been murdered and his body dumped in the river. What actually happened to Theodore will never be known. Reports of Death 1 'FLOATER' MISSING FARM HAND, BELIEF ------- MAN TAKEN FROM RIVER WEDNESDAY THEODORE WEBER OF CASCADE? -------- BODY IS BADLY DECOMPOSED -------- Makes Identification Impossible; Investigation Under Way. -------- Belief that the body found floating in the river south of Cattese Wednesday morning may be that of Theodore Webber, a farm hand who formerly resided near Cascade, was expressed by relatives of Webber to County Coroner Edwin F. Strueber Thursday. Friday afternoon the coroner stated that an investigation of possibility of the dead man being Webber was being made. Webber, according to information received from his relatives by the coroner, has been missing for about a year. Before his relatives lost track of him, he had been employed at various places as a farm hand. He has a brother living near Cascade who informed the coroner that he had not heard anything of his brother for about a year. The brother of the missing man came to Dubuque to view the remains of the river victim but, because of the decomposed condition of the body, identification proved impossible. The brother stated, however, that the general outlines of the body greatly resembled those of the missing man. Efforts were being made late Friday to ascertain, if possible, whether or not the body found is that of Theodore Webber. 2 BODY WAS THEODORE WEBER ------- Remains Found in Mississippi River Identified as Former Cascader On Wednesday, May (___) the body of an unidentified man was discovered floating in the Mississippi River, one mile below Cattese. The body was first seen about 8 o'clock a.m. by a conductor on a southbound Milwaukee passenger train, who reaching (___) Ferry notified Coroner Edward Stroben of Dubuque. The latter brought the body to Dubuque and on examination discovered a silver watch in the clothing. The watch bore the name of (___) Vogel, Cascade, Iowa on the dial. The body was badly decomposed and evidently had been in the water for many months. On account of the watch, which was practically the only clue to identification, being a screw-back and badly rusted, it was some time Thursday before a jeweler succeeded in opening the same. The number on the inside of the case showed on the record book of T. Vogel, now in the hands of his successor, Mr. E. Launsbach, of this city, that the watch was originally sold to Theodore Weber, well known here, and a brother of Peter Weber. He had been missing for more than a year, having worked for his nephew, Peter Weber, at Jessup, Iowa in 1921. The latter knew that his uncle had had two teeth pulled during the time he was with him, and as these teeth were missing, the Weber family were satisfied that the body was Theodore Weber. How Mr. Weber came to his death in the river will probably never be known. He was a native of Germany and worked as a farm hand. He had many friends, who regret his tragic death and the family has the sincere sympathy of neighbors and friends in this sad bereavement. The remains were brought to Cascade from Dubuque Tuesday morning and the funeral services were held at St. Mary's church, Rev. J. B. Albers officiating. T. S. Weber, of Raymond; Peter Weber, of Jessup; nephews, and Frank Weber, of Waterloo, a cousin of the deceased, attended the funeral. Sources His name is recorded alternately as Theodore or Theodor. References Banz.biz Webtree: http://www.banz.biz/webtrees/family.php?famid=F21712&ged=Banz Pick Genealogical Transcriptions: Peffingen: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pick/peffinge.txt Category:Peter and Barbara Weber Family